The present invention relates to improvements in puncture-resistant garments and the methods of manufacturing thereof. In the prior art, garments made from synthetic fibers and yarns for use in bullet-resistant vests, body armor and butcher's aprons are known. Examples of these types of fibers are KEVLAR.RTM., a polyaramid and SPECTRA.RTM., a high molecular weight polyethylene. These types of fibers, which generally have tensile strength in excess of 300,000 psi, are capable of resisting penetration or puncturing of a garment by absorbing energy as the penetrating object contacts and deflects the fibers. When these types of fibers are tightly woven, large amounts of energy are absorbed by each individual fiber deflecting around the penetrating object and absorbing its share of energy.
The following prior art, which is related to these types of puncture-resistant materials, is known to Applicant:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,828 to Fogt, et al. discloses a protective material which includes a cut-resistant material having intermeshing strands defining pores therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,245 to Sullivan, et al. discloses an armored glove finger which may be utilized in conjunction with a surgeon's rubber glove and is made from a cut-resistant fabric.
A need has developed to provide an improved puncture-resistant garment for applications involving sharp penetrating objects. If a penetrating object has a large cross-sectional area perpendicular to the fiber area, its kinetic energy is distributed over a large area and a large number of fibers are available to absorb the kinetic energy and resist penetration. Alternatively, if the penetrating object has a small cross-sectional area perpendicular to the fiber axis, the kinetic energy of the penetrating object is distributed over a small area and only a few fibers are available to absorb the energy. For example, bullets having a relatively large cross-sectional area can be effectively resisted by body armor or the like made of these energy-absorbing fibers. However, ice picks and needles, with small cross-sectional areas, do not engage many fibers on contact and cannot be effectively resisted by these types of body armor garments. Furthermore, these sharp penetrating objects, such as needles, may carry infectious diseases which present an even greater risk to an individual being punctured by such a needle. In response to this need, Applicant has developed a method of manufacturing an improved puncture-resistant garment which provides puncture resistance against sharp penetrating objects. The inventive method includes the step of brushing the fiber that is to be used to produce the puncture-resistant garment or article to provide an improved fiber structure which more effectively resists penetration by sharp objects. Applicant has also discovered that the improved fiber structure may be used in a treating manner by including a coating of a disinfecting or pharmaceutical agent thereon. The improved coated fiber structure may then be utilized to disinfect as well as to stop the penetration of a sharp penetrating object or provide increased contact between the pharmaceutical agent coated onto the fiber structure and an adjacent surface such as a person's skin.
Applicant is unaware of any prior art, including the above-identified U.S. Patents, that includes all of the features of the present invention including the step of brushing a fiber to provide an improved fiber structure in a puncture-resistant garment that enhances engagement of sharp penetrating objects and provides resistance to penetration therethrough.